Making any type of backup of your data is always a good idea. Those who have experienced the fun associated with a hard drive crash or stolen computer know all too well the feeling of complete helplessness when they realize their most important financial records, cherished videos, pictures or music are gone. External hard drives have become a popular option by many people when it comes to a backup solution.{ad}

Unfortunately, external drives can also be stolen or lost during a disaster, especially if they are co-located in the same office or home as the primary hard drive. What is needed is an online backup solution to supplement the offline one. That’s exactly what Iomega is now offering in a single product.

Iomega hard drives will now include EMC Retrospect Express backup and recovery software with the Mozy online backup service. Consumers will be able to choose which version of Retrospect Express is right for them. 2 GB of free space will be available with MozyHome online backup or unlimited space is available for US$4.95 a month.

Brian’s Opinion
Personally I have always thought that an external hard drive as the only backup solution alone gave false reassurance. One fire or natural disaster in a building could knock out both the primary and external hard drive. With broadband speeds so prevalent across the country its a no-brainer why online backup has been catching on.

What has been needed in the backup industry is one-stop shopping. When you get your offline backup solution you should also give consideration to an online solution as well. Not doing so is a little like making sure your front door is locked while your backdoor is open.

It’s funny that it usually takes someone to have the experience of losing critical data before they get serious about scheduled backups of even their personal files. Don’t be one of those people who wait. You’ll be sorry in the end and at that point your files are gone forever.